With the official launch of the STREAM project on 4 September, one of the first concrete implementation projects within Shipyard of the Future Drechtsteden-Rotterdam has begun. STREAM has received EUR 2 million in funding and aims to modernise Dutch shipyards, lower costs, and strengthen their international competitiveness.
STREAM stands for Systematic development of efficient shipbuilding processes for Dutch yards through robotics and automation. Four Dutch yards that deliver vessels worldwide – Neptune Marine, Royal IHC, Scheepswerf Gebroeders Kooiman and Mercury Yacht Construction – are working together to modernise their production processes.
The goal is to preserve and structurally strengthen shipbuilding in the Netherlands. The urgency is high: the country risks losing ground in the construction of complex, custom-built vessels, a field in which it has long excelled.
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Self-learning panel line
At the heart of the project is the development of an automated panel line using smart welding machines, robots and cobots. A panel line is the part of a shipyard where steel plates are welded into larger sections, such as the hull. To reduce risks during research and ensure the system’s future resilience, a self-learning control system is being developed that adjusts the process in real time based on production deviations.
The welding technology is being developed by SAM XL, while RoboHouse – in close collaboration with shipyard workers – is studying how the smart welding robot can be applied in practice. Both are field labs of Delft University of Technology (TU Delft). As the first project under Shipyard of the Future Drechtsteden-Rotterdam (Werf van de Toekomst Drechtsteden–Rotterdam), STREAM aims to position the region as one of Europe’s leading shipbuilding hubs for complex vessels by 2030. The region already accounts for 43 per cent of Dutch maritime activity, generating more than EUR 5 billion annually.
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Robotics in practice
To safeguard Dutch shipyards and maintain their leading position, modern yards based on digitalisation and robotics are essential. These technologies lower costs and address labour shortages. Welding remains one of the industry’s biggest challenges. While automation is widely tested internationally, standard welding robots are often unsuitable for Dutch yards due to the wide variety of vessel designs and working conditions. STREAM therefore focuses specifically on developing technology that can handle this complexity.
Neptune’s panel line serves as the development site for the welding robots. Uniquely, this will not be done in isolated steps but in an integrated production line, steered by a self-learning system linked to the ship’s 3D design model. This allows errors to be detected early, processes adjusted, and information fed back into the design – a major improvement over today’s largely manual methods. Knowledge will be shared through a new Living Lab test environment.
Benjamin Grefkens, CEO of Neptune & STREAM lead partner: ‘Progress comes from sharing knowledge and working together on the Shipyard of the Future. With STREAM, our yards, Deal, and TU Delft field labs are joining forces to take shipbuilding – a national pride – to the next level. Together we are making the leap from traditional craftsmanship to high-tech expertise.’
Also read: New tech speeds up thick section welding in shipyards
Collaboration and support
STREAM is the first implementation project within the regional Shipyard of the Future partnership. This alliance contributes to the national Shipyard of the Future initiative, owned by NMT-IRO and part of the national Sector Agenda for Maritime Manufacturing.
The Drechtsteden/Rotterdam region forms a strong coalition of nine shipyards: Damen Shipyards Group, Neptune Marine, Royal IHC, Scheepswerf Gebroeders Kooiman, Den Breejen Shipyard, Scheepswerf Slob, Oceanco Group (including Mercury Yacht Construction), Holland Shipyards Group and De Haas Shipyards. They are supported by regional development agency InnovationQuarter and regional network Deal.
The project has also collaborated with subsidy agencies IMC/UniResearch. InnovationQuarter and Deal initiated the partnership, connected the yards, and secured the right funding. STREAM is supported with EUR 2 million in subsidy from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, via the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). The total project value is EUR 4.5 million.
Photo: On 4 September, the participating yards from the steering committee of Werf van de Toekomst Drechtsteden–Rotterdam signed the STREAM project. From left to right: (seated) Johan de Bie (IHC), Benjamin Grefkens (Neptune & STREAM lead partner); (standing) Andre Boer (HiDelta), Peter Burger (Den Breejen Shipyard), Martin Bloem (Damen Shipyards Group), Jeroen Kortenoeven (Scheepswerf Slob), Roland van de Graaf (IMC), Dominique Nieuwpoort (InnovationQuarter), Joost Weeda (Deal & chair steering committee Werf van de Toekomst Drechtsteden–Rotterdam) (photo by Deal Drechtsteden).
